Chugga, chugga choo-choo!

Here is March! Woo-hoo! Just chugging along. So nice to feel like I am getting things done again with the scrapping.

Rambling once again...

Two more pages I managed to get done last week. Oh the joy of scrapping again! It has also been a lot of fun to go back and read my journals from the last year. Working on getting 2008 all finished up within the next month and hopefully get a head start on 2009! My goal is to keep up with each month or two as they go by. Oh what a lovely thing that would be to do. Loving these templates by Katie Pertiet. They make short work of this to say the least!

So I found out yesterday that my test results came back positive for rheumatoid antibodies. It explains a lot but it kind of has me a little anxious about what lies ahead. I knew I was in a lot of pain this last year especially, but didn't think it was anything like this. Just praying for some answers to so many questions I have at the moment.

Roller coasters

That is what I feel like I am on. A huge roller coaster at times. This last week was tough. No other way to put it. The boys were way out of sorts and just cranky. So of course I was cranky. The beginning of the week was horrible. Just plain horrible. It did get better. The weekend was a little tough but we survived. I am still scratching my head trying to figure out what in the world is going on with them. Noah won't sleep for anything again. There is always something going on when he does this. And it always seems to take me a while to figure it out. Haven't so far. Can't see any new teeth. He is eating well and acting fine other than antagonizing his brother half the day.

I am beginning to wonder if I need to really find a way to spend some serious one on one time with them each week. The tough part about that is I can't seem to leave one and not the other or maybe I should say to take one and not the other. The one left behind usually throws a fit. Cameron is also going through some serious separation anxiety issues at the moment. So what's a mom to do?

We went to the fair this morning. Just a smaller local one. They had a ball but of course Noah was really ready to go just a little ways into it while Cameron was NOT wanting to leave and started to throw a fit. It is just becoming increasingly difficult to find the balance between the two. I know we will get there but I want what is best for both of my children and myself and at the moment it has been very difficult to find a happy medium for everyone involved. Daddy included.

So back to the fair. The boys got to pet baby chicks, a goat, pigs, cows, sheep, and llamas. It was very interesting for me too seeing as I am a "city girl" and haven't really ever been around animals myself. I think the boys are much more brave than I am when it comes to touching the animals. It didn't help they had signs all over the place saying the animals may bite. That kind of freaked me out. And of course Cameron has no fear so just walks right in and jams his hand in their faces. To be 2.5 years old again! Noah loved it and we could tell by his squeals (literally) of delight. He was very gentle with all the animals. We have actually if often wondered aloud if he would grow up to be a vet. I guess only time will tell.

Can you believe it?

Look what I finished up tonight...


And can I just say Margaret was so right on the learning the new computer! I didn't think it would be that much different but Vista is a whole new animal for me. It took me 30 minutes just to find where they hide the fonts folder. Ha! Guess I know what I will be doing the rest of the week when I have a few minutes here and there. But I do have to say how fast this thing is compared to my laptop. OH.MY.GOSH! I love, love, love it. The only down side I can find at the moment is there is no wireless card in the thing so no internet. Hmm...have to fix that at some point but for now I will enjoy my digi scrapping with no distractions. Maybe no internet is a good thing...

I can no longer gather my thoughts when I sit down in the evening to post and catch up on emails. I just am brain dead by that point. I need to get better about making notes again. I used to jot down what I needed to do online and need to start that again. Now when I sit to get on the computer I have become so used to having to wait FOREVER for my computer to start, then the stupid internet to come up and then maybe I will get lucky if it only takes me 30 minutes to an hour to check a few emails, make a post and do a thing or two online. It is SOOOOOOO FREAKING SLOW. Hopefully I have remedied that today.

I took my computer back to where I had gone about a month ago and they did some more stuff to it. I had mentioned yesterday while at their store I wasn't very happy with the service they had performed about a month prior and he told me they had some problems then and asked if I would be willing to bring it back in. I jumped on that one. So today off I went. He did some stuff to it and even figured out how to adjust the brightness on my screen when it decides it has a mind of it's own. OMG, I can't tell you how many people have tried to figure that one out! I bowed to his greatness and in return bought another computer.

Yep, I am the proud owner of a shiney new desktop. I won't get it until tomorrow because they are doing the optimization and installing Office and stuff for me. Worth it for me not to have to deal with that. So now I can start digi scrapping again. Woo-hoo! I had become so disgusted with how slow my computer was that I just quit. I couldn't stand sitting and waiting for 5 minutes for the software to load, then another 3-4 minutes for my page to load. And when it came time to save the thing, ugh! I won't even go there. I literally would go and do other stuff and come back later. It was ridiculous. My laptop doesn't have the power (and can't be upgraded to have it) to run all the digi stuff sufficiently. So it was about freaking time I got something that did. I splurged on something for myself for a change. I can't believe it. And you know what? It felt good. I haven't done that in AGES. Probably since my Nikon purchase over a year and a half ago. So now to try and restrain myself from staying up all night each day this week and playing with the new toy. Ha!

Wow. Been way too long since I have blogged. Been trying to play catch up on my 365 blog since we were out of town for a while. I wrote my posts each day in a notebook and had to transfer them over. Now to pick out all the pictures to go with it and post them all. At times it seems like so much work but it is SO worth it when I sit and read the posts from each day. Really a fun idea and I do hope to continue this next year as well.

We went to an Arts Festival today. The boys had a ball and didn't want to come home. They loved all the stuff to look at and the music. Noah even graced us with some dancing to "Smooth Operator." That was pretty funny and if I recall I even caught it on video. Too cute to pass up.

Trying to decide on a new computer. As much as I want to make my laptop limp along it is just SO slow. Not sure what is up with it and I had it looked at about a month ago. They said all was well and ran some stuff on it that was supposed to make it run faster. Not really. I am considering a new desktop instead. Not sure what to do. Just don't want to shell out the money at the moment for one. If they weren't so freaking expensive I would have bought a new one by now! Well, at least the one I really want is expensive. Then you have to get new software because the stuff I have won't work on Vista. And of course all the stuff about Vista people talk about. Hmm...too many choices! Wouldn't it just be easier for someone to tell me what to buy?????? Wishful thinking on my part I guess. Ha!

What a wonderful day!

We had so much fun today! Met an old friend of mine at The Children's Museum this morning and the boys did so fantastic. I am so very proud of them! They even napped when we got home. There is a God in Heaven.

We went to Applebee's for dinner and got a huge surprise to end our nice day. They comped our meal. When M got his food it wasn't what he had ordered so we thought he was saying they were going to comp his dinner but he said no, we are always there and such loyal customers that dinner was on them tonight. Wow. What a nice surprise we had. We actually go nearly every week and drive to the neighboring town to go to the one there instead of the one where we live. The food just seems better, there is no smoking and the staff is much more friendly. So we just make the short drive over and are happy. They are always very accommodating for us and the boys so why change? Just made a very nice ending to a very nice day.


This was Noah's hair when he woke up this morning. I had to laugh and of course take a picture. Poor kid is doomed with bead head. He got his mom's stick straight hair that will conform very quickly to whatever position you put it in. Meaning if you bend it wacky for a while it will stay that way. So sorry Noah!

Life is good...

Nice day. Got lots done so it is good. I no longer feel like a blob who can't get anything done. And we tried something new today! They have this drop in child care and we attempted it this morning. The boys LOVED it. They didn't want to leave. There were no tears shed when dropping them off, only when it was time to go. And I mean tears. Crazy. Noah REALLY didn't want to leave. And both of them talked about pushing the strollers around. They had some of those cute little baby doll strollers. I think we may be getting a doll house and strollers in the future. Every time we go somewhere they have a doll house both of the boys are fascinated with them. They love to play house and make the people go from room to room doing things. Cameron had them laying down to take a sleepy nap, cooking dinner, taking a bath, you name it. Very cute. Just not sure how I can fit one more thing in this house at the moment. But working on that.

Backed up the EHD! Yippee! I don't feel totally secure but feel much better having everything on 2 different external hard drives. Next step is to download them all to a photo site and get some of these puppies printed out. It's been several months since I have really printed picture. Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be jpegs! I see a layout in my future with that title...

Scurvy pirates and a rant

So what do you do with a scurvy pirate? Make him walk the plank! Cameron is going around singing this little tune from Backyardigans. Pretty darn cute is all I can say about that one and I wish I had the video handy while he was doing it but no such luck.

They are refusing to nap today. I guess this is coming back again now. Second time in just a few days with no nap. Grrr. And I thought we were okay with the napping thing as they have been doing so well this last month or so. Oh well, another curve ball right at me.

The rant. Well, how would you like to take a 10 hour car ride with two 2.5 year olds, twice mind you so total of 20 hours, in just a five day time period with no DVD entertainment? Well, hubby informed me he rented the van but wasn't sure if they were going to be able to get one with a DVD player. My reaction...we need to know one way or the other now so we can either go and buy a DVD player or find a company that has a van with one. He wasn't happy about this decision. So, let's see...would you like to be the one to entertain them for this trip with singing and such...for more than 10 hours? It's a 10 hour trip mind you. With two 2.5 year olds I am gussing more like 12-13 hours. And guess who does the majority of sining in this house besides the kiddos??????? You do the math.

Maybe I am a little freakishly organized and routine when it comes to my kids but you know what, I have to be. I don't have the luxury of picking up a kid and going. They out number me and until they learn how to be a wee bit more self-sufficient then what I feel is right for them goes. I spend 24/7 with them and although I am not saying that everything I do is right, what I do with and for them works. So my way it is. To keep my sanity. I am oh so close to losing that, if I didn't already.

Good news...I was able to access the EHD today! Needless to say as soon as I finish this post I will be setting it up to backup on another EHD so I at least have 2 with the same thing until I can get everything burned to CDs and downloaded to a photo site. There is that freakishly organzied and anal person again, rearing her ugly head. Ha!!!!!!!

And here were my little cutie patooties at the parade on Saturday. Of course Puppy must accompany us as well. :)

Nothing much really

Everything in my house that is electrical is breaking. Ugh! I replaced the washer and dryer last weekend. My computer is on it's last leg and I can't get my EHD to work tonight. I am praying it has not gone out and maybe just need to reboot the computer or it possibly be the cable is bad for the plug. I really pray it isn't broken because I haven't backed that thing up in a few months now. I know, I know, bad me. The weeks have just been flying by and I realize it was the beginning of May since I last backed it up. I pray I didn't lose all those pictures! Oh, and I lost my good old HP printer that I have loved and loved for about 8 years now. It has been a workhorse! Sad that it just quit working. Hoping to chalk all this up to a bad day and move on. Although my niece sent me this today and I smiled...so true, so true.

Murphy's Law of Children

1. The later you stay up, the earlier your child will wake up the next morning.

2. For a child to become clean, something else must become dirty.

3. Toys multiply to fill any space available.

4. The longer it takes you to make a meal, the less your child will like it.

5. Yours is always the only child who doesn't behave.

6. If the shoe fits..it's expensive.

7. The surest way to get something done is to tell a child not to do it.

8. The gooier the food, the more likely it is to end up on the carpet.

9. Backing the car out of the driveway causes your child to have to go to the bathroom.

10. The more challenging the child, the more rewarding it is to be a parent..sometimes.